The climatic
zones suitable for temperate and boreal plant species may be displaced
200e1200 km poleward. Parolo and Rossi (2008) compared
historical records (1954e1958) with results from recent plant surveys
(2003e2005) from alpine to aquatic ecosystems in the Rhaetian Alps,
northern Italy and reported anincrease in species richness from 153 to
166 species in higher altitudes